The Newsroom

BBC News this Christmas - impact of cuts & Covid

No evening BBC 1 bulletins Xmas day & Boxing day (December 2020)

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JF
JF World News
TIGHazard posted:
Cardiffian posted:
As all the other UK BBC news threads seem to be closed, I'll post this here.

I've noticed there's no early evening BBC 1 news bulletins on Christmas day & Boxing day this year, only very late night round-ups at 23:25 on Xmas day and 22:45 on Boxing day.

Ok, the BBC might think people want a break from the news this year, but this does seem unusual. I'm guessing a specific BBC 1 newsreader won't be brought in on these days and the lunch and late night updates will just be dip-ins to the NC? Maybe it's cuts related as well.


There is a - very short - 2 minute early evening round up on Christmas Day.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qq5z

Boxing Day I think it's just because of the football match and the film.


Why not do it at bottom of hour which would fit with news channel summary. Do we know if NC & WN are simulcasting all day as they are running the same schedules?
CA
Cardiffian
I don't think there has ever been a Christmas & Boxing day when the NC & World have both simulcasted with each other solidly for 48 hours has there? (not including Breakfast)

I won't be surprised if it happens this year though.
WO
Worzel
TIGHazard posted:
Cardiffian posted:
As all the other UK BBC news threads seem to be closed, I'll post this here.

I've noticed there's no early evening BBC 1 news bulletins on Christmas day & Boxing day this year, only very late night round-ups at 23:25 on Xmas day and 22:45 on Boxing day.

Ok, the BBC might think people want a break from the news this year, but this does seem unusual. I'm guessing a specific BBC 1 newsreader won't be brought in on these days and the lunch and late night updates will just be dip-ins to the NC? Maybe it's cuts related as well.


There is a - very short - 2 minute early evening round up on Christmas Day.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qq5z

Boxing Day I think it's just because of the football match and the film.


And no doubt there will be a dedicated presenter to come in and read it. Wink
HO
House
Not really sure how this can be explained by budget cuts, given the NC and WN will still be operating 24 hours a day (so staffed galleries, editorial teams and at least 30 minutes of reports or content produced). It’s not like a 20 minute BBC One bulletin costs any more than a 3 minute summary over the holiday period.

Equally, it’s not as though I expect the news will be doom and gloom about COVID or Brexit on Christmas Day itself, because it’s hard to see many more developments (new statistics released, negotiation developments, cabinet meetings etc.) happening on that particular day. I can’t see this being anything more than a scheduling decision.
CA
Cando
The Royals aren't even going to Balmoral , so they don't even have that story either. That usually takes up the bulk of the bulletin on Christmas day.
BR
Brekkie
Exactly and its been that way a couple of years. Contrastingly ITV's Christmas Day bulletins have got a little longer, but mainly acting as a buffer in the schedule as the BBC often have 75 minute shows.
PA
Parker
After this year I would be happy for no news at all for a couple of days Embarassed
AndrewPSSP, Brekkie and London Lite gave kudos
LL
London Lite Founding member
Parker posted:
After this year I would be happy for no news at all for a couple of days Embarassed


For somebody who is a news pres fan, I've had to cut back on the amount of news I've watched this year for my own mental health, so I don't blame the BBC for having a very short round-up again on BBC One on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
CA
Cardiffian
London Lite posted:
Parker posted:
After this year I would be happy for no news at all for a couple of days Embarassed


For somebody who is a news pres fan, I've had to cut back on the amount of news I've watched this year for my own mental health, so I don't blame the BBC for having a very short round-up again on BBC One on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Which is fair enough, but if a separate BBC 1 newsreader is brought in just to read a 90 - 120 second summary, that really is absolute madness.
AJ
AJB39
Just a thought but I do wonder given the rapidly evolving COVID 19 situation how tenable it will be not to have a proper early evening news bulletin on BBC 1 on either Christmas Day or Boxing Day.
AN
Andrew Founding member
House posted:
Not really sure how this can be explained by budget cuts, given the NC and WN will still be operating 24 hours a day (so staffed galleries, editorial teams and at least 30 minutes of reports or content produced). It’s not like a 20 minute BBC One bulletin costs any more than a 3 minute summary over the holiday period.

Equally, it’s not as though I expect the news will be doom and gloom about COVID or Brexit on Christmas Day itself, because it’s hard to see many more developments (new statistics released, negotiation developments, cabinet meetings etc.) happening on that particular day. I can’t see this being anything more than a scheduling decision.

I agree it’s purely a scheduling decision, it’s nothing about presenter shifts, or the lack of news happening, it’s just so they can keep up the canter all the way from the family film throughout the evening and also so they can cram in everything that they want to show.
CA
Cardiffian
AJB39 posted:
Just a thought but I do wonder given the rapidly evolving COVID 19 situation how tenable it will be not to have a proper early evening news bulletin on BBC 1 on either Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

I suspect it's not tenable at all given today's developments. The UK's main PSB channel cannot be without a main evening news bulletin for 2 days during a rapidly evovling national crisis.

I can't imagine the football on Boxing day being allowed to go ahead now anyway, so another film will have to be found to fill the gap.
Last edited by Cardiffian on 19 December 2020 6:47pm

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